A skeptical left-liberal's blog, including skepticism about left-liberalism, but even more about other issues of politics. A skeptical look at Gnu Atheism, religion, social sciences, more. And me? I am who I am... more later...

August 31, 2012

How feds could trump state voter ID laws

Yes, Texas's voter ID law has also gotten a smackdown in appeals court yesterday, but that's not going to either stop AG Greg Abbott from appealing to the Supreme Court, with a possible win there, or if that fails, the Texas Legislature to draft something just slightly less onerous next year.

But per friend Leo Lincourt, who cites a letter to the editor in Fort Wayne, Ind., about voter ID there, and the dangers of not renewing a driver's license on time, I got to thinking.

And here's a tentative possible solution.

Federal photo ID Medicaid
cards!

Yes, it's state administered, but it's a federal program. True, folks like Tricky Ricky Perry might try to go so far as to use this as an excuse to opt out of even current abysmal Medicaid service providing, but there'd be other sticks of heavier hitting if he tried.

Or
since states now have debit-type cards for food stamps, like the Lone Star Card here in Texas, which get
federal funds, require a photo on there and force states to accept.

I think that, based on the interstate commerce clause of the Constitution, even though Chief Justice Roberts' majority swing vote on the Obamacare ruling trimmed its sails, you could force states to do this on legal grounds.